Top Texas (and non-Texas) chefs to stoke a fiery feast for LiveFire!

Top Texas (and non-Texas) chefs to stoke a fiery feast for LiveFire!

This year, LiveFire! will kick off the first new national festival with a taste of some of the best Central Texas has to offer—with appearances from a few out-of-state friends as well.
Courtesy of Austin Food & Wine Alliance

Courtesy of Austin FOOD and WINE

Temperatures are on the rise ushering in a sizzling season of summer grilling and backyard barbecues. After all, there’s nothing like a little fire and smoke on your favorite foods to evoke the true taste of summer — that and an ice cold beer.

This year, let some of the state’s top grilling gurus inspire you with some of their best open fire skills at Live Fire!, a sizzling barbecue feast put on by the Austin Food and Wine Alliance at the Salt Lick Pavilion in Driftwood on Thursday, April 26, from 6:30 — 9 p.m.

A beneficiary of the 2012 Tastemaker Awards, the Austin Food and Wine Alliance is the new culinary nonprofit to erupt out of the former Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival. The organization is committed to fostering awareness and innovation in the Central Texas food and beverage community giving back to the local culinary community through a grant program for chefs, farmers, artisan producers and nonprofits.

It also happens to be the key beneficiary of the Austin Food and Wine Festival. This year, LiveFire! will kick off the first new national festival with a taste of some of the best Central Texas has to offer — with appearances from a few out-of-state friends as well.

“The smell of all those chefs grilling beef on the banks of Onion Creek; Hell, Sam Houston, William B. Travis and Davy Crockett will probably even show up.”

“Who doesn't love the spring time in Texas,” says San Antonio chef Jason Dady. “Outdoor weather at its best with grilling and plenty of libations? I love this event. It’s a great way for us to meet new people and show them how they too can become masters of the grill at home.”

Hosted at the Salt Lick Pavilion, which lies on little bluff along the banks of Onion Creek, this is the second year for Live Fire! but the first for the AFWA as an official non-profit organization, which gives attendees and participating chefs, wineries, breweries and distilleries a little added incentive for celebrating the great culinary tradition that is Texas barbecue.

At least, that’s how Salt Lick owner Scott Roberts feels about it, “The smell of all those chefs grilling beef on the banks of Onion Creek; Hell, Sam Houston, William B. Travis and Davy Crockett will probably even show up.”

The evening festivities will be accompanied by the swinging Texas tunes of the Elana James Trio and refreshing libations will be served from local wineries, breweries, distilleries and more including Becker Vineyards, Fall Creek Vineyards, Savvy Vodka, Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka, Cypress Creek Rum, Paula’s Texas Orange and Paula’s Texas Lemon, Jester King, Twisted X Brewing Company, Hops & Grain, and Live Oak Brewing Company as well as Cuvée Coffee.

This year, LiveFire! will kick off the first new national festival with a taste of some of the best Central Texas has to offer—with appearances from a few out-of-state friends as well.
Courtesy of Austin Food & Wine Alliance